A/N: I'm so happy to be updating! I went and got my laptop fixed and was able to get the next chapter. I'm not really sure when the next update will be-lots of exams over the next two weeks-but I will try to get it out as soon as I can. Thanks to all those who reviewed and here's to hoping you like this chapter! Can't wait to hear what you guys think!

When they walked into Common Grounds, it looked as normal as ever. Oliver was in his human disguise: a nice, aging hippie who liked everyone and was just a guy who had power. The shop had a few people in it-seeing that it was an hour away from midnight-and they looked to be clearing out. But when they spotted Oliver behind the counter, the atmosphere changed. Michael's eyes blazed a bright red for a minute as Claire's whole body tightened.

Why had she let Michael talk her into this? She wasn't ready to see him so soon after he...She should have just stayed home and dealt with it there, but it was too late: they were already here.

As they approached the counter, Oliver pretended not to notice them but, when he did, he glanced at Michael and smirked at Claire causing both to stiffen and stop. The shop was practically empty so Michael spoke normally. "We need to talk."

Oliver continued wiping down the bar. "If I am not mistaken, Mr. Glass, we are talking right now."

Michael slammed his hands down on the counter hard enough to get his attention but not enough to break it. "Seriously Oliver."

Oliver stared at him for a long second. "Of course, young people. Let's go sit and…talk." He threw his towel with perfect accuracy and aim at some bin and sat at a tall table with four chairs. Michael and Claire followed…after Michael pulled Claire's chair as close as it would get to his. Oliver raised an eyebrow but said nothing. They sat in complete silence for a minute. "Michael, Claire, what is it you wish to speak about?"

"You know what we came to talk about." Michael snapped. "What you did to Claire!"

"What I did to Claire?" Oliver looked curiously at Claire. "What did I do to little Claire?"

The mentioned girl started to shake as she felt Oliver's eyes on her. Michael grabbed her hand. "Yea. You…You-" She swallowed and closed her eyes. "You ra…You made me have sex with you." She finally whispered.

"Did I now? I made you? If my memory serves me correctly, I didn't make you do anything. You were actually quite willing. Didn't you enjoy our time together?" His eyes bore into hers and she felt the sudden urge to please him. The tension in her back relaxed and she smiled slightly.

"Of course I enjoyed myself: you were amazing. Especially-" Michael, who had been staring at Claire dumbfounded, finally realized what was going on and squeezed her hand so hard that she yelped and turned to face him, confusion on her face. Once she understood what was happening, she silently thanked him and turned back to Oliver. Instead of his eyes, she stared at his hands folded on the table, which wasn't a much better choice. When she saw his hands all she could think about was them in between her legs, making her feel weak, bringing her pleasure, and them gripping her waist as he…She shook her head again. "But as good as it felt, you compelled me. I had no choice. You made me do all that."

"But you said it yourself: you enjoyed it."

"You made me!" She nearly shouted then whispered: "You made me want it, need it." She tried to stop them, but tears filled her eyes. "We all know that if I had a choice I wouldn't have given my…first time to you."

"But you liked it pretty much without my persuasion." She blushed a deep red and couldn't think of anything to say.

Seeing that she was unable to answer, Michael jumped in. "Regardless, she didn't want to, you made her. You raped her and although I can't tell a soul because of Claire's life, you should at least apologize or something."

Oliver raised an eyebrow at him. "Or what, Michael? You'll come against me? You are still young, too young to come up against me and actually win. I'd destroy you. Other than that, you have no choices."

"Maybe Amelie…"

"Why would she waste the time and the effort? Claire is nothing but a pawn to her. When she becomes too much work, she'll be removed from the game. It's as simple as that."

Michael sat there fuming. "We won't let you get away with this!"

"Dear child, I already have." He smirked and his hand flashed over and grabbed Claire's. "Haven't I Claire?" Claire felt calm wash over her and she nodded. Michael quickly snatched her hand back.

"Don't touch her! Don't even come near her! Stay away." Michael stood, his chair crashing to the floor. "We're leaving."

Oliver just sat back watching as she slid out her chair and they moved to the door. They were halfway there when he finally spoke. "Come here Claire." She immediately stopped. She tried to fight it but she could feel his influence spread over her. She turned and walked back over to him. Michael finally noticed that she wasn't with him and turned to see her already beside him.

"Claire? Claire, no!" he made a move to get her but Oliver raised a hand.

"Not so fast." Oliver teased. "Claire, if Michael comes any closer before I say I'm finished, I want you to take this knife," A random kitchen knife appeared in his hand and it was sharp. He sat it on the table beside her. "and cut yourself, you understand?" She nodded. "Now Michael, let me show you the error of your words. Come closer Claire." She did and felt his arms surround her. "I can touch Claire anytime I please." To prove his words, he pulled her ever closer and ran his hands over her back and arms. "Any where I please." His hands drifted down her back and over her butt. "And any way I please." His hands cupped her butt and squeezed.

Claire made an unintelligent sound, unclear whether it was from pain or pleasure, and saw Michael take a step toward them out the corner of her eye. Her hands moved on their own accord and grabbed the knife off the table. Luckily, she got to decide where the cut would go and felt it dig a bit into her forearm. She gasped in pain as a tiny red line appeared where the knife was. Michael looked as if he wanted to rush over but Claire shook her head.

"Don't. It's only going to get worse if you do. I'm okay." He nodded, sorrow in his eyes.

"You are not in any position to tell me what I can and cannot do." Oliver continued as if the little scene before had not happened. "I could even-if I were so inclined-kiss her." He grabbed the back of her head and touched his lips to hers. She thought it was going to be like the one the night before where he kissed her briefly but she was wrong.

Once his lips were on hers, he shoved his tongue in her mouth. Claire felt heat flow through her as his tongue worked. She knew it was from his influence but what he was doing made her feel so good. She gasped and moaned before relaxing fully against him. It was easy, since he was still sitting in the tall chair, for him to pull her between his legs. One of her hands immediately went around his neck and into his hair as the other grabbed for his shirt around his waist and she clung to him. He kissed her and kissed her until she had to push away to gasp for air.

"I could even leave those little love marks you young people like to make." He said, not even out of breath. He started trailing kisses down her neck, cold butterfly kisses, until he felt her shiver when he got to the base of her neck. He switched tactics and started to suck and lick there intensely. Claire was so glad that he back was to Michael because she was majorly ashamed of herself for the noises she let out of her throat. By the time Oliver was finished, she was sure she had a very impressive hickey. "Or do the kids these days like to leave love bites? I can do that too…actually I did last night. Show him your bites, little Claire." She was a little drugged from all the pleasure coursing through her body but she turned and pulled up her shirt, revealing the still reddish bite mark on her stomach that was slowly healing.

Michael looked like he was going to be sick.

"Would you like to see the other?" His arms wrapped around her from behind and his hands started to undo her pants at a slow human speed. "I warn you: it's in a very special, very private place." One of his hands dropped to her thigh and stroked up. "Very private." Claire closed her eyes tightly when his cold fingers brushed her stomach as they looped her pants and underwear in preparation to pull both down.

"Oliver don't." Michael said in a strained voice. Oliver started to slowly pull them down.

"Please don't." Claire whispered and hugged her torso. He toyed with her for another second before stopping.

"So next time think before you come into my place of work and tell me what I should do. Unless you want another show…" Oliver cooed and ran a hand over her bare stomach and the other up her inner thigh. Claire shivered: whether it was from fear or enjoyment, she was unsure.

"Do you understand?" Michael didn't answer and the hand on her stomach plunged into her still open pants and started to stroke her. She gasped and shuddered and all the fear and negative feelings flew out the window as his fingers moved.

"Do you understand Michael?" Michael was still quiet. Claire opened her eyes and looked at Michael to see him frozen and staring at them in horror. She couldn't look at him for much longer because Oliver decided to slip a finger in her and her eyes screwed shut at the sudden intrusion. Her back arched against his front and she groaned. He started slow at first, teasing her, then started to speed up. She could feel the pressure building and she didn't want to do anything like that in front of Michael.

To stop this all Michael had to do was say he understood but he was in shock, apparently, and was frozen.

The muscles in her stomach were tightening in the tale tell signs and she could feel it coming and did what she thought was the only thing she could think of to knock him out of his stupor.

"Michael!" She screamed in desperation a few seconds before the wave hit and rocked her. She was lost for a long minute before her scream finally registered to Michael and he came out of his shock.

"Yes. Yes! I understand. Okay? Please, just stop." Oliver just sat there for a minute before he retreated from her.

"I'm finished. Both of you can go now…but you must come to me tomorrow Claire: no matter what. Do whatever you must to get here, I don't care. I want to see you here before night fall." Oliver demanded. Claire nodded, fixing her clothes, and he got up and stalked away.

Claire kept her eyes glued to the floor as she walked over to Michael. She just couldn't look at him after what just happened. She felt so dirty and horrible for not even trying to stop him and Michael had witnessed it all. They walked out, got in the car, and drove home. They sat out front for a minute before either could say anything.

"I can't believe he did that."

"I can." Claire said as she stared out the window.

"Shit Claire. I'm sorry. I didn't know-I didn't think his compulsion was so strong. Most of the other vamps have to be looking in your eyes. He barely even glanced at you."

Her hands started to shake. "It's like it gets easier and easier for him to get into my head. He didn't even have to tell me to enjoy and not resist: I just did. I stood there and let him. I'm so scared about what will happen next time-" Michael grabbed her and hugged her tightly and-for what felt like the millionth time in twenty-four hours-she cried.

"Don't worry." He said when her crying died down. "There won't be a next time." Before she could ask what he meant, he was out of the car. She was going to ask when they got in the house but they were ambushed before she got the chance.

"Where have you two been? We've been worried sick!" Eve declared with her arms over her chest. She was still wearing what she had been earlier and so was Shane who was brooding in the background with a blank face.

"We had to go see someone." Michael answered easily. It wasn't necessarily a lie since they had gone to see someone: Oliver.

Eve frowned. "At one in the morning?"

"Vampire business."

Shane still hadn't said a thing and that worried Claire. She moved forward and Shane's eyes zeroed in on her neck. His eyes became angry. "That's one hell of a hickey you got there." He locked eyes with Michael. "Have you been kissing on my girlfriend?"

Claire, shocked, shook her head viciously. "He hasn't been kissing on me! Why would you think that?"

His hard eyes focused on her again. "You two have been spending a lot of time together lately. What am I suppose to think?"

"That maybe I'm trying to handle things that I can't tell you about? Not that I'm cheating on you!"

"Maybe, but then again we all know how much you love vampires. What makes me think that Mikey here would be an exception? Maybe he didn't even have to compel you to do anything. Girls did always like him better. All he had to do was smile at you and you jumped right into bed with him." Claire's jaw dropped and she took a step away from him.

"Hey asshole, some vamp was trying to compel her so I pinched her. You happy? Stop being a dick, dick." Shane looked unconvinced and Claire just couldn't take it. He thought she would cheat on him willingly? And with Michael? That hurt.

"Thank you." She whispered as tears filled her eyes. She continued when his eyes focused back on her face. "Thank you for showing me what you really think of me. I'll be sure to remember it." Shane's face softened when the tears spilled over and he tried to catch her as she went for the stairs.

"Claire…" She moved away from him and continued up the stairs.

"I told you!" Michael whispered furiously as he moved closer to Shane who moved back seeing the fury in his friend's eyes. "She's having a rough time dealing with some stuff: some really heavy stuff that none of us can and, hopefully, will never understand. Stop. Hassling. Her. You're only going to make it worse like you pretty much just did. If you talk to her don't ask her what's wrong or accuse her of shit that you have no fucking clue about. Just hold her, comfort her, let her cry, and tell her it'll all be okay: let her know that you'll be there no matter what. She needs you so get your head out of your ass and act like her fucking boyfriend not a jealous prick!" Michael shoved pass him to follow Claire.

He found her curled up at the foot of her bed with her night gown in hand, crying.

He went over and sat next to her, hesitantly offering an arm to her. She curled up into his side almost instantly and was silent for a minute.

"This was what I was wearing when he…" She trailed off knowing he knew what she was referring to. He remained quiet because he knew that she was about to tell him what happened the night. Curious he was, but what made him stay and listen was the fact that she needed someone to vent to and let in on her pain. "He said he came to talk and dragged me to the secret room. I'm sure he meant it…until I mentioned that he couldn't touch me because Amelie protects me. Then he mentioned the loophole, threw me over his shoulder, and took me up the stairs to the couch. At first, he couldn't get into my head: I didn't open my eyes and I kept breaking his attempts in my head."

"Then how'd he do it?"

"He kissed me. I was so surprised that I opened my eyes and he had me. He made me take off my clothes and ordered me to enjoy everything he did. I won't give you all the dirty details but I did: my body loved and craved everything he did. He kissed and touched me and my body ached for it but my head was screaming at me that I didn't want it and that what he was doing was bad. Then he-" She stopped abruptly and took a deep breath. She could do this. She could talk about it. "When he actually…y'know? I thought I was going to die. The pain was unbearable and I instinctively dug my nails in his back. That's why he scratched me on my back like that. When the pain finally stopped, it all felt so good and I'm not so sure that it was all from his compulsion but after he left and I was alone in my room, that changed. I felt-still feel-so dirty, used, and nasty. How could I have enjoyed it so much when I have a boyfriend? It made me feel like a slut. Maybe that's what I am now since I didn't even try to stop him tonight: a slut."

Michael quickly cut in. "But you're not! He forced you. He raped you. You're the most unslutty person I know!" She giggled a little, his intended reaction, and it ended in a sigh.

"Does he really think so little of me?" She whispered brokenly and he knew that they were no longer talking about Oliver. "Does he really think I'd willing cheat on him with you, his best friend?"

"I don't think so. I think he's just feeling a lot of animosity towards not knowing what's going on with you and towards your relationships with vampires which-unfortunately-I am. He's angry and doesn't really think before he speaks. I'm sure he didn't mean it." He squeezed her reassuringly around the waist and she winced. "Oh sorry."

"Oh, it's okay. It was just the bite. It still hurts a little." She felt his arm twitch and knew he was curious about something. "Yea?"

"I wanted to ask but I didn't know if you wanted me to know…but where else did he bite you?"

"My inner thigh: about right here." She put a hand over it.

"Why did he bite you?"

"They're promises."

His eyes widened. "Promises?"

"Yea, they're promises for next time…Oh God, what is he gonna do to me tomorrow?"

"Nothing because you're not going."

"But you heard him…"

"I know, but I'ma do everything in my power to keep you here." He squeezed her again before standing. She followed, confused.

"What do you mean?"

He didn't answer. "Talk to you in the morning. Night." He kissed the top of her head and closed the door behind himself.

Claire stared at the shut door for a minute before changing and lying in her bed where she, unsuccessfully, tried to fall asleep. Everything just kept running through her head and all she wanted was for it to stop.

"I'm not going to think about it. I'm not going to think about it." She murmured over and over again but it barely helped. Tears ran down her face as she tried to concentrate and force her words so that they'd be true and it was almost working…until her door quietly opened and closed. She glanced at whoever it was, heart pounding that it was an unwelcomed visitor, and was shocked to see that it was Shane of all people.

Shane, her heart whispered, the only boy to ever kiss her like he wanted her. Shane, who could be so sweet. Shane, who could be so brave. Shane, her brain interrupted her heart's rant, who had stood downstairs no more than an hour ago accusing her of cheating on him. The last thought hardened her against whatever he was about to either say or do.

"Hey." He said softly. "Are you awake?" She said nothing: just sniffed to let him know she was indeed awake. "Can we talk?" She said nothing again. Since she wasn't screaming at him to get out, he took it as a yes. He stood awkwardly at the door for a second before going over and sitting on the bed beside her. He put a hand on her leg but quickly took it back when she flinched. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I know you and Michael would never do anything like that behind me and Eve's backs. I'm so sorry for ever saying or implying that. I wasn't thinking. I was just so angry that you two are keeping secrets from us that it just came out."

She abruptly turned and glared at him, tears littering her cheeks. "And what?" She said as she angrily brushed the tears away. "You think that we don't want to tell you both? That I don't want to tell you? Give me a break! You know that we'd tell both of you if we had a choice but we don't. It kills me, kills me, to see you and Eve walk around like puppies that have been kicked when you both don't have an idea of what's going on. It pisses me off that you two act so freaking hurt when neither of you has a fucking idea what's happening. If I were y'all, I would be freaking happy not to know. I wish I didn't." She flipped back over and buried her head in her pillows.

"You don't know how it feels to know what I know, to go through what I've been through, and not be able to tell anyone: to live with this secret." She broke down in tears and felt the bed tilt as Shane joined her and wrapped an arm around her middle. He held her close even though she didn't say another word for the rest of the night. He just laid there and did what Michael said was best: assured her that it was all going to be okay and that he was there, and would always be there, for her. Eventually her sobs subsided and she fell into a fitful sleep in Shane's arms.

Please R&R!
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